You’ve just arrived at Cancun International Airport, hopefully on a direct flight, hopped on an air-conditioned bus for the 30-minute drive south to the northern fringes of the Rivera Maya called Playa Paraiso, and finally make it to the Iberostar Paraiso Lindo. Enter the lobby, with its ivory and tan colored tiling and those soaring ceilings, head to the reception desk, and wait for a refreshing tropical drink to be planted in your hand. Your vacation has officially started.

A bellhop drives your family and luggage to your room and looking around, you begin to realize that you made a wise decision booking a room at the Paraiso Lindo. Opened in December 2004 as an addition to Iberostar’s other two hotels in Playa Paraiso, Iberostar Paraiso Beach and Iberostar Paraiso del Mar, the Lindo is more upscale with a keen sense of style. The three-story villas are painted in an appealing mix of sky blue and tan and topped with a thatched palapa roof. Take a stroll on a boardwalk through a mangrove forest and you feel lost in the tropical splendor. Or go for a swim in the spectacular pool, where swim-up bars are shaded under waterfalls, and a large recreation of a Mayan temple produces the only wave pool found in the Riviera Maya.

Similar to the way Iberostar Paraiso Beach and Iberostar Paraiso del Mar share restaurants, swimming pools, and other facilities, the Paraiso Lindo shares restaurants and the sprawling swimming pool with Paraiso Maya. Families are free to roam into all five of the hotels in the Iberostar complex except Iberostar Grand Paraiso, which is only open to adults. Each villa at the Lindo also has its own concierge so you can book restaurants and tours directly with them.

Even the rooms are tastefully appointed with Mayan-styled bed rests, pottery hanging from the blue sandstone walls, and a colorful pink, purple, and rouge blanket covering both double beds. Free Wi-Fi is also available in the guestrooms. The villas had no elevators, so if you're traveling with small children and strollers, be sure to book a ground floor room. Concierges are available at each villa to book restaurants each evening.

Guestrooms
The guestrooms feature a large wraparound terrace, offering views of the surrounding palms. A small sitting area with a desk, coffee table, and chairs were nestled between the beds and the balcony/terrace. Bathrooms had a bath and tub, Iberostar soaps and shampoos, and a hairdryer. The minibar was stocked with water, soda and beer. Also in the air-conditioned room were a coffeemaker, safe, ceiling fan, clock and cable television.

Family Rooms
The Family Rooms, situated near the beach and pool, feature one king bed and a guaranteed connecting room with two double beds. A family welcome kit is provided upon arrival, too. Six people can fit comfortably in these connecting rooms.

Suites
The suites feature one king and two double beds and are also situated near the pool and beach. The suites can accommodate up to three adults and one child.

Kids' Club
Lucy's Mini Club has nicer digs at the Lindo than adjacent Paraiso Beach and Paraiso del Mar properties. Set inside a series of thatched rooms, counselors keep kids ages 4 to 12 engaged with games, arts and crafts, dance, and basic Spanish lessons, while learning about the rich Mexican culture. Outside, there's a playground and small kid's pool where stone turtles and other animals double as fountains.

Pool
In the pool area, the wave action happens each hour in the wave pool. There's more than enough shallow area for younger children to swim around the edge of the entire pool area. Older kids will want to swim up to the bar, shaded by a large waterfalls structure, to order frozen (non-alcoholic) drinks. Or try the lazy river, which is slower than the usual lazy river found at water parks in the States. But relax, you're in Mexico. Slow down and enjoy the soothing ride.

The youthful Star Friends keep families active at the pool area with water aerobics, water polo, pool volleyball, dance lessons and guided bike rides around the large complex. Lindo's Star Friends are known for their gregarious nature, dining with guests and making sure kids are happy throughout their vacation.

Beach
While the music might not be blaring at the beach, expect a slew of activity. Huts line the sublime stretch of white sand, offering massages on the beach, grilled chicken and burgers for lunch, and more than enough bars to quench any thirst. Whether you're sitting under a cabana at the beach or catching rays at the pool, waiters walk the ground to ensure that you're never dehydrated from that hot Mexican sun.

The water sports center at the beach offers Hobie cats, kayaks, and boogie boards to try. Or pay the extra charge and jump on a Jet ski, Banana Boat, or high above the Atlantic on a parasail. Older children might want to sign up for the SCUBA diving lesson offered in the pool or go on daily snorkeling jaunts to the nearby reef. You can also purchase floatation devices, swim goggles, and other swimming paraphernalia at a shop located near the pool.

Nightly Entertainment
The theater at Lindo is one of the most impressive we've seen at an all-inclusive property. The stage sits under a huge thatched roof that, with enough space to house King Kong if they so desired. At night, there are two shows in the theater. The 8 p.m. show is for kids, while parents will like the main event at 9:30 p.m.

For Teens
Over by the shopping center is a disco geared to teens only. There's also an Internet Center and game room off the main lobby.

Technically speaking, the Lindo offers one buffet restaurant and four specialty restaurants, featuring Cajun, Italian and gourmet (French) fare. Truth be told, you're free to reserve space at any of the specialty restaurants in neighboring Paraiso Maya and Paraiso Beach resorts, so choices of a la carte offerings include the steakhouse at Maya, Mexican, Brazilian, Japanese and Mediterranean restaurants.

Buffets
Start your day at La Pagoda buffet, off the main lobby. Scrambled, poached and sunny-side up eggs, bacon, papaya, sweet pineapple, plantains, passion fruit, homemade doughnuts and mango yogurt are some of the selections. You can grab lunch at the same buffet or head down to the pool to dine at a snack bar or another buffet, Coco. Lunch options include roast chicken, grilled fish, hamburgers, pizza, and tacos. If you're hanging on the beach, don't despair. There's a small grill serving chicken sandwiches and hamburgers. The buffet at dinner offers a variety of options including Italian, Mexican, Chinese and Japanese options, along with a laundry list of desserts like fried ice cream that will keep the kids happy.

Specialty Restaurants
If you like spicy jambalaya and seafood gumbo, get your concierge to make a reservation at the Cajun restaurant. The steakhouse, adjacent to the lobby at Paraiso Maya, is known for their large ribeye steaks. Kids will enjoy the pasta dishes at the Italian restaurant. The French is great for a more elegant meal.

Food Court
Few families realize that the Shopping Center houses a burger diner, creperie, and tapas bar included in your all-inclusive rate. There's also an ice cream bar located above the pool area in a shaded open-air atrium.

Room Service
The Lindo also features 24-hour room service in case you haven't had enough food for one day. For parents of younger kids, this might come in handy if your kids are having a twilight meltdown. Order casual fare like burgers, wraps, salads, and tacos and dine as a family inside your room.

All About the Extras
There are three tennis courts vying for your attention and a fitness center that starts to get busy as soon as it opens at 6 a.m. There's also a medical center on property if someone gets a wee bit too much sun or another ear infection.

Wi-Fi
Complimentary Wi-Fi is available.

Babysitting
Babysitters are available for hire and a reservation is required.

The Art of Smart Timing
The allure of Mexico is its affordability, especially at all-inclusive resorts like Iberostar that are often packaged with charter flight. Come here before the Christmas holiday or after April 1 and the rates will be that much cheaper. December and April is an ideal time to venture to the Riviera Maya, with a chill in the air in much of Europe, America, and Canada, and rates below the high peak season. In Mexico, however, expect daytime temperatures to hover around 82 degrees and the ocean waters to be bath-like.

Getting There
Arrive to the area via flight to Cancun International Airport. The resort will arrange transportation at booking.

Getting Around
It's a good 10-minute walk from the lobby to the beach, so a tram is available every 15 minutes to drive you and the kids around if need be.

For Mom and Dad
The best time to escape from parental responsibility is during the day, when the kids are occupied at Lucy's Mini Club.

Golf
For mom and dad, there's a P.B. Dye-designed golf course waiting for you. Have a golf cart pick you up for your tee time and drive from your room to the clubhouse and pro shop. A lot of work has been done to ensure that the greens on the par-72 course are indeed green. The vista of the water from the higher holes might make up for some of those errant shots.

Spa
Also on premises is a spa featuring moisturizing body wraps, massages, and treatments for mothers and daughters.